GOVERNMENT 291 



with regard to divination by pigs' livers, and knowing the 

 great importance attached to it, I was as anxious as any one 

 to see the liver. I saw at a glance that the omen was 

 good, and seized the opportunity to make the most of it. I 

 quickly called the chiefs' attention to all the good points 

 before they had given their own opinion, and at once saw 

 that their interpretation was the same as my own, and 

 that they were somewhat surprised to find it so. 



Thereupon two messengers were sent backwards and 

 forwards to discuss the number of people killed on either 

 side from time to time, and big gongs, shields, and weapons 

 of all kinds changed hands as blood-money. When all 

 had been settled, notice was given to our people that the 

 Madangs were ready to receive them into their houses, and 

 the Baram people sent a message back that they were 

 prepared to accept the invitation. When Kayans and 

 Kenyahs who have been at feud desire to meet peaceably, 

 it is necessary to go through a sort of sham fight, called 

 jawa^ so that both parties can, as it were, blow off steam. 

 As this ceremony is generally executed with much vigour 

 by fully armed parties, it often happens that some people are 

 badly hurt ; and I was half afraid that such an accident 

 might check the progress of our negotiations. But the 

 omens had been favourable, and the implicit belief in such 

 omens goes far to prevent bad feeling. About midday Tama 

 Bulan and his followers, in full war costume, announced 

 their intention of moving by bursting into the war-cry, 

 a tremendous roar which was immediately answered by 

 the people in the houses. The noise and excitement 

 increased as the Baram people neared the house of Tama 

 Usun Tasi, and guns with blank charges were fired. On 

 came the Baram people, stamping, shouting, and waving 

 their weapons in defiance, the Madangs in the houses 

 keeping up a continuous roar. When the Baram people 

 first attempted to enter the house, they were driven back, 

 and a tremendous clashing of shields and weapons took 

 place ; then the Madangs retreated from the entrance in 

 order to allow their visitors to come in, stamping and 

 making the most deafening noise. When the Baram 

 people had all entered, the Madangs once more rushed at 

 them, and for some two minutes a rough-and-tumble fight 

 continued, in which many hard blows were given. No one 

 received a cut, however, except one man who, running 

 against a spear, was wounded in the thigh ; but the affair 



